3. Sura al-Imran
Medina 89 [200 verses]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَمَكَرُواْ
وَمَكَرَ اللّهُ...
3: 54. And (then unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned,
C393. The Arabic Makara has both a bad and a good meaning, that of making an intricate plan to carry out some secret purpose. The enemies of Allah are constantly doing that.
But Allah -in whose hands is all good- has His plans also, against which the evil ones will have no chance whatever.
...وَاللّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ ﴿٥٤﴾
and the best of planners is Allah.
3: 54
Asad And the unbelievers schemed [against Jesus]; but God brought their scheming to nought: for God is above all schemers.
Pickthall And they (the disbelievers) schemed, and Allah schemed (against them): and Allah is the best of schemers.
Transliteration Wa makaru_ wa makaralla_h(u), walla_hu khairul ma_kirin(a).
[ Ali’s note - 393 The Arabic Makara has both a bad and a good meaning, that of making an intricate plan to carry out some secret purpose. The enemies of Allah are constantly doing that. But Allah-in whose hands is all good-has His plans also, against which the evil ones will have no chance whatever. (3.54)
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8. [al-Anfal, Medina 88, after Badr 2H]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ
بِكَ الَّذِينَ
كَفَرُواْ
لِيُثْبِتُوكَ
أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ
أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ...
8: 30. Remember how the unbelievers plotted against thee,
to keep thee in bonds,
or slay thee,
or get thee out (of thy home).
C1203. The plots against Al-Mustafa in Makkah aimed at three things. They were not only foiled, but Allah's wonderful working turned the tables, and brought good out of evil in each case.
- They tried to hold the Prophet in subjection in Makkah by putting pressure on his uncles, relatives, and friends. But the more they persecuted, the more the little Muslim community grew in faith and numbers.
- They tried to injure or slay him. But the wonderful example of his humility, perseverance, and fearlessness furthered the cause of Islam.
- They tried to get him and his followers out of their homes. But they found a new home in Madinah from which they eventually re-conquered not only Makkah but Arabia and the world.
...وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللّهُ...
They plot and plan, and Allah too plans,
...وَاللّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ ﴿٣٠﴾
but the best of planners is Allah.
C1203a. Cf. 3:54.
Other Versions:
8: 30
Asad And [remember, O Prophet,] how those who were bent on denying the truth were scheming against thee, in order to restrain thee [from preaching], or to slay thee, or to drive thee away: thus have they [always] schemed [note 30]: but God brought their scheming to nought –for God is above all schemers.
Pickthall And when those who disbelieve plot against thee (O Muhammad) to wound thee fatally, or to kill thee or to drive thee forth; they plot, but Allah (also) plotteth; and Allah is the best of plotters.
Transliteration Wa iz yamkuru bikal lazina kafaru_ liyusbitu_ka au yaqtulu_ka au yukhriju_k(a), wa yamkuru_na wayamkurulla_h(u), walla_hu khairul ma_kirin(a).
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13. Surah Ar Ra'd, Medina 96
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَقَدْ مَكَرَ
الَّذِينَ مِن
قَبْلِهِمْ
فَلِلّهِ الْمَكْرُ
جَمِيعًا...
13: 42. Those before them did (also) devise plots;
but in all things the master planning is Allah's.
...يَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ...
He knoweth the doings of every soul:
...وَسَيَعْلَمُ الْكُفَّارُ لِمَنْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ ﴿٤٢﴾
and soon will the Unbelievers know who gets home in the End.
Other Versions:
13: 42
Asad Now those who lived before these [sinners] did, too, devise many a blasphemy – but the most subtle devising is that of God, who knows what each human being deserves: and the deniers of the truth will [in time] come to know to whom the future belongs.
Pickthall Those who were before them plotted; but all plotting is Allah's. He knoweth that which each soul earneth. The disbelievers will come to know for whom will be the sequel of the (heavenly) Home.
Transliteration Wa qad makaral lazina min qablihim fa lilla_hil makru jami'a_(n), ya'lamu ma_ taksibu kullu nafs(in), wa saya'lamul kuffa_ru liman 'uqbad da_r(i).
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27. An-Naml (The Ants)
Mecca Period 48
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَكَانَ
فِي الْمَدِينَةِ
تِسْعَةُ رَهْطٍ
...
27: 48. There were in the City nine men of a family
...يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا يُصْلِحُونَ ﴿٤٨﴾
who made mischief in the land, and would not reform.
C3286. They had made up their minds to wage a relentless war against justice. They did not destroy justice, but justice destroyed them.
قَالُوا
تَقَاسَمُوا
بِاللَّهِ
لَنُبَيِّتَنَّهُ
وَأَهْلَهُ...
27: 49. They said:
"Swear a mutual oath by Allah that we shall make a secret night attack on him and his people,
C3287. A most dastardly plot, because
- it was to be secret,
- by night,
- taking their victims unawares,
- and because careful provision was made that they should all tell lies together, saying that they knew nothing about it, in order to evade the vengeance which Salih's heirs (if any were left) or his tribe might want to exact!
And yet such were exactly the plots laid against the holy Prophet himself.
...ثُمَّ لَنَقُولَنَّ لِوَلِيِّهِ مَا شَهِدْنَا مَهْلِكَ أَهْلِهِ...
and that we shall then say to his heir (when he seeks vengeance): 'We were not present at the slaughter of his people,
...وَإِنَّا لَصَادِقُونَ ﴿٤٩﴾
and we are positively telling the truth.'"
وَمَكَرُوا
مَكْرًا
وَمَكَرْنَا
مَكْرًا وَهُمْ
لَا يَشْعُرُونَ
﴿٥٠﴾
27: 50. They plotted and planned, but We too planned, even while they perceived it not.
C3288. Cf. 3:54.
Their secret plotting is all known to Allah, but of Allah's just and beneficent plans they know nothing. And the wicked must come to an evil end.
فَانظُرْ
كَيْفَ كَانَ
عَاقِبَةُ
مَكْرِهِمْ...
27: 51. Then see what was the end of their plot! --
...أَنَّا دَمَّرْنَاهُمْ وَقَوْمَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿٥١﴾
this, that we destroyed them and their people, all (of them).
Asad’s Version:
(27:48) Now there were in the city nine men 47 who were wont to commit deeds of depravity all over the land, and would not reform; (27:49) [and] after having bound one another by an oath in God's name, 48 they said: "Indeed, we shall suddenly fall upon him and his household by night [and slay them all]; and then we shall boldly say to his next of kin, 'We did not witness the destruction of his household - and, behold, we are indeed men of truth!'"
27:50 And so they devised an evil scheme; but We devised a subtle scheme [of Our own], and they perceived it not
(27:51) Behold, then, what all their scheming came to in the end: We utterly destroyed them and their people, all of them;